When it comes to injury prevention runners spend most of their time stretching and strengthening their legs and upper body. What about your feet? Why do we neglect our foundation so badly?

The feet represent the foundation of the human body, a foundation made up of many crucial components; the foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. In fact, one quarter of all bones in the human body are in the feet.

The foot is the first point of contact and the arch of the foot is the body’s shock absorber; it acts as a spring. When this shock absorber or spring has fallen, the entire kinetic chain is disturbed. The force of the impact must be absorbed by other parts of the body, such as the hips, knees, and back.

Injury prevention should start with your feet and it takes more than finding the right shoes. Follow these simple exercises at home, especially if you wear minimalist running shoes, and you’ll see a huge difference in your stride and ability to stay consistent in your training.